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METHOD OF ING TUNNELS. No. 413,869. Patented 001;. '29, 1889.

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No. 413,869. Patented Oct. 29, 1889.

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No. 413,869. Patented 001;. 29, 1889-.

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UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. SAUNDERS, on NEW YORK, N. Y]

METHOD OF DRIVINGTUNNELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,869, dated October 29, 1889.

, Application filed May 10, 1888. Serial No. 273,392. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. SAUNDERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Driving Tunnels, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to improvements in the art of tunneling in rock.

The enlargement of a tunnel or bore being a matter of detail and easily effected, the description of my improved method will be re stricted to the formation of the pilot or heading, which offers the principal difficulties in forcing a passage through solid rock. In using the term hard or solid rock it is my intention to distinguish between soft or bituminous coal and all other material capable of being undercut or channeled by hand-tools. The method at present in use for driving headings through solid hard rocksuch, for example, as granite-comprises the drilling of converging holes about the center line of the heading and of a number of other holes at suitable distances therefrom. The converging holes are first fired, throwing out a chip or wedge-shaped mass between them, and thus forming a release or line of least resistance for the action .of the explosive in the side holes. The side holes are then fired, breaking out the intervening rock in the heading to the depth or extent of the cut produced by the blast of the converging holes. It will be noted that inorder to furnish a line of less resistance upon which the explosives can act the center holes must converge to a point of coincidence at the bottom in order to break. out the central portion forward and afford a lateral release for the explosives in the side holes. It follows, then, that the angle of the central holes and theconsequent progress of each cut or round will be limited by the width of the heading, since the said holes cannot be put in at a greater angle than the converging sides of a triangle of which the width or height of the heading would form the base. In small headings the central holes are therefore necessarily shallow and the progress but a few feet, sometimes not more-than two or three at each round. I r I am aware that soft coal has for years been mined by the.formation, whether by hand or machine, of a trench or out along the lower line of the vein, this being accomplished within a large chamber, Afterabody of coal has been undercut it sometimes falls of its own weight; but the usual practice is to apply wedges or gunpowder along the upper margin of the vein, thereby breaking down the intervening mass, care being taken to reduce it as little as possible in order to keep it in marketable shape in lumps, not dust, and to economize the breakage during transportation. This method can have no bearing upon my invention, for the reason that it deals only with comparatively soft substances capable of being undercut with an ordinary pick and the mass broken down by wedges and a hammer. Furthermore, it is carried on in large chambers, where it is possible to use tools and to apply them in a manner wholly impracticable in a heading orshaft.

By my improved method the converging central holes are dispensed with, and it is practicable to continue the drilling in the smallest heading until the advance cut and also the side holes have been made, say, from six to eight feet in depth, which is, accomor seam for the diagonal holes and the prismatic opening produced by blasting out the portion between them. The channel would ordinarily be formed in the ordinary central line of the heading, the drill-holes for the explosives being properly located with refer ,ence thereto, so that when fired the rock between the said side holes and the central channel would be broken out, the channel affording a release or line of least resistance therefor. By the use of a suitable channeling-engine mounted upon a column the cut ting ofthe channel and the drilling of the side holes can be carried on simultaneously, so that at the end of each working shift the desired working dept-h can bereached.

In sinking shafts the method of. procedure and cutting being in vertical instead of in horizontal planes. In very small headings, where there would not be room on each side of the channeling-machine to work the drills putting in the side holes, it is desired to place the channeling-machine as near to plished by substituting an artificial channel is similar to that just described, the drilling I stance it will be found desirable to first fire the row of holes adjacent to the channe],they

having a free release thereinto, after which.

the remaining holes can be fired with the certainty that they will produce maximum results on account of the release produced by the first line of holes toward the artificial seam or channel. By providing an effective release-line for the explosives'inthe blastholes between the channel and the side or sides of the heading, the rock, will be much more effectively broken by the firing of said charges, and it is practicable to drill fewer and'deeper holes and to use larger charges. Reducing the number 'of holes to be drilled in connection with the artificial seam or channel enables the force which is available to sink them to a greater depth during each working-day, and therefore to penetrate far-.

ther in a given time with the limited force of men and machinery capable of being accommodated in a heading.

'Another advantage incident to my improved method results from the reduced amount ofexplosives required. A suitable and efficient'line of release being provided, the force of theexplosives will take effect mostl'yfin the desired direction, there will be'less jar and shock, and the walls of the tunnel will be much less shatteredand broken than with the all-blasting method, thus diminishing the danger from falling rock. There will also be much less noxious gas generated by the blast, so that work may be begun earlier after each round has been' fired.

' The machine with which the channel or artificial seam is cut is a form of combined channeling and gaddinglmachine resembling that shown, described, and claimed in an application for Letters Patent filed by'me June 17, 1887, Serial No.240,816, but which is not,

however, herein specifically claimed. The machine referred to is capable of radial or vertical movement upon a supporting-column, and whether movable vertically or radially is employed, first, to drill holes of the desired depth at the extremities of the proposed channel. After the end holes have been drilled the drill-chuck is removed and a cross-head andgang of chisels attached to the pistonofthe heading, so thatin the case of a very, small heading the blast-holes surrounding the instead of horizontally.

channel maybe simultaneously fired and all haveasufficient release or line of least re sistance in the direction-of the channel, and so produce their maximum effect by breaking out the intervening rock with the least num: ber of holes and the smallestquantity of powder. In the case of a very small heading, however, it may be found desirable to locate the channel at one side, placing at least two rows of holes between the channel and the opposite side of the heading, whether the same be the roof or one side thereof. In this instance it will be found necessary to first fire the holes immediately adjacent to the channel, after which the remaining ones can be fired with the certainty that they will produce maximum results on account of, the. release produced by the explosions of the first line of holes toward the artificial seam or channel.

My improved method can be applied and embodied in many different forms of apparatus, .and, in fact, any mechanisms capable of performing the work necessary to be accomplished and of being operated simultaneously purpose of limiting the invention to the use thereof. I

. Figure l is a longitudinal elevation, partly in section, showing a heading with a radiallymounted drill putting in the marginal holes of the channel or sea-m. Fig. 2 is an elevation, and Fig. 3 is an end View, showing the first stage of the forward progress in a heading. Fig. etis a view similar to Fig. 1, except that the drilling-engine has beenrelieved of its rotative movement and provided with a set of chisels, and is adapted'to operate as a radial channeler for the purpose-of cutting out the material between the end holes seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation. Fig. 6 is an end view showing the final stage of the preparationof a heading for the blast. Fig. 7 is an elevation similar to Fig. 4, except that it shows the channel being cut by a verticallymovin channelin -machine instead of the I Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4., except that the work is progressing vertically downward of a small heading, showing the channel at one side. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 with the channel on the opposite side; Fig. 11 is a plan view showing the position of the channel. Fig. 12 is a plan View of a portion ofthe heading driven with channels on alternate sides.

Similarletters denote'like parts throughout.

As indicated in the dr'awings,.A indicates the shaft or heading,transversely of which is shown in Figs. 1, 4;, 7, and 8 a drill-supporting column B. The column B is provided with foot-screws Z), by which it is jammed be-- Fig. 9is an end view 7 tween the roof and floor or between the side walls and firmly secured in the desired position. Upon the column Bis fitted an adj usting-clamp O,which is provided with set-screws O, by which it is securely fixed at any desired point between the ends of the column. The clamp O is provided with an opening or bearing D, constructed to constitute a clamp, a portion cl of the walls of said opening being hinged and provided with an adj usting-screw d, by which the size of said opening can be regulated as desired.

F represents the drilling-engine, of which f is the feed-screw and G the shell, the said shell being formed with a continuation g at its lower end to support guides for the crosshead carrying the chisels when said drillingengine is operating as a channeling-machine, as shown, described, and claimed in a pending application, No. 240,816, filed by me June 7, 1887. The ,trunnion E fits into and is supported within the opening D in the clampblock C, and by adjustment of the said screw (1 the shell and drilling-engine can be rigidly held in any desired position or be capable of radial movement upon the trunnion or pivot E. The margin of the clamp-block O opposite to the opening D is. cut to form a segmental work-rack H, a worm pinion 72 mounted uponthe shell G and provided with suitable hand-lever 71., being engaged therewith. By operating the hand-lever h it will be understood that the drilling-engine as a whole is turned about its pivot, together with the drill or chisels, as the case may be. 7

As indicated in Fig. l, the drilling-engine F is employed in putting in a hole I, which said hole is at about that angle from the central line of the tunnel upon which, when driven to the desired depth, the said hole will terminate upon the floor-line of the tunnel. The hole is in this instance assumed to be six feet in depth. A hole J is indicated as being completed, the said hole J being directed upward at an angle similar but opposite to that of the hole I.

In Fig. 2 the completed holes areindicated,

it being understood, however, that where drills longer than seven feet can be operated with economy such drills will be used and the angles of the first two holes I J be such that the said drills will reach the limit of their depth and the roof and fioor or side lines of the heading coincidently. While the holes I J are being drilled side holes 2' 'i j j are also being put in, the positions of said holes being approximately indicated in Fig. 3, a very important feature of my improved method consisting in the feasibility of carrying on both parts of the operation and simultaneously operating the different mechanisms re-' quired at the same time.

As explained in my said prior pending application, when the end holes I J have been put in, the chuck f,'carrying the drillF', will be replaced by a cross-head K, carrying a set of channeling cutters or chisels k, the crosshead being suitably guided in the extended portion gof the shell Gof the drilling-engine.

As indicated in Fig. 4, the drill has been replaced by the chisels k and the operation of forming a channel between the marginal holes I J has made some progress. In removing this material a channel is formed by the chisels k, the operation of the machine being directed and controlled by the hand-lever h and worm pinion h, by means whereof the drilling-engine is moved. radially as desired and caused to operate as a channeling-machine. lVhen the chisels have completed a cut from the hole I to the hole J, or vice'versa,

the chisels are fed downward by the feed-screw,

f the distance of the depth of the succeeding cut, when the radial movement is again imparted by means of the hand-lever h and the chisels it gradually moved in their radial path until the other drill-hole is reached. These operations are reversed until all the material between the drill-holes I J is removed, leaving a triangular channel, as showni'n Fig. 5, and as seen also in Fig. 6.

When a radially-mounted channeling-ma-L chine is employed, there will remain at top and bottom of the channel L a projection or offset L. Forthe purpose of removing the offset Ii additional short holes Z may be put in and fixed with the side'holes. j

As indicated in Fig. '7, the channeling machine is arranged to be moved bodily upanid down upon its supporting-column and always in the same plane, the effect of such movement being to cut arectangular channel M in place of a channel of triangular form, as shown at L. Instead of being provided with a pivot-bearing D and a segmental worm-rack lI,-the clampblock 0 is in this instance secured positively to the shell Gan d provided with a screw-threaded opening parallel w'ith the column B,through which passes a feed-screw B,which-is pivotally mounted at its ends in a position parallel with the said supporting-column B,'whether the same be arranged vertically or horizontally. The travel of the channeling-machine is effected by a hand-lever N, which is provided with a collar 71, fitting over the lower portion of the feed-screw B, and said handlever N is provided with a pawl engaging a ratchet- 0, attached to the said feed-screw;

IIO

The pawl N is of the well-knownreversible A the same time, two or more rows of holes 19 q are put in substantially parallel with said channel, and the said rows of holes are exploded successively, in order that the channel shall afford the release for the first row, and

. the openings produced by thefiring of the first row of holes aiford the release for the next succeeding row. As seen in said Fig. 9, the first row only of said holes has been fired. In headings necessitating the cutting of the channel at one'side it will be found desirable to place the machine as near as possible to the side Wall, inclining the cut outward,.as indicated in Fig. 11. Frequentrepetitions of the inclined cuts shown in said figure would destroy the alignment of the tunnel. difiiculty is, however, obviated by placing the channel on alternate sides of the heading, as indicated in Fig. 12. The offsets L left after each round are subsequently removed.

In Fig. 10 the channel is indicated as upon the opposite side from the position shown in Fig. 9, and for the sake of illustration the effect of the firing of both rows of holes is shown.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The herein-described method of driving tunnels of small sectional area in hard rock,

which consists in making a first cut in the form of anarrow open channel driven into and across the face of the rock or heading and without the use of explosives, then placing surrounding or adjacent drill-holes and blasting out the material between thechannel and the Wall or walls of the tunnel after the channel has been completed, substantially as described.

2. The hereindescribed improvement in the art of driving shafts or headings of small This sectional area in hard rock, which consists in making a first cut in the shape of a narrow open channel driven into and across the face of the rock or heading to the depth of the out and without the use of explosives, then placing surrounding or adjacent drill-holes and blasting out the material between the channel and the walls of the shaft or heading after the channel has been completed, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described method of driving tunnels of small sectional area in hard rock, Which consists in making a first cut in the form of a narrow open channel extending across the face of the rock or heading and of the depth of the proposedcut, said channel dividing or separating the material to be re moved, and placing surrounding or adjacent drill-holes and blasting outthe material between the channel and the Wall or walls of the tunnel, substantially as described.

at. The herein-described improvement inthe method of boring or tunneling hard rock, which consists in cutting an'open groove or channel into and across the face of the heading and simultaneouslydrilling .holes for the reception of explosives :in the material between the channel and the .Wall or walls of the bore, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof 1 hereto affix mysignature in presenceof .two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. SAUNDERS. Witnesses: FRANK XV. IREDELL, .T. A. BROWN. 

